


Mignonette

by airute (siruru)



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family Bonding, Fluff, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-03-16 17:14:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13640796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siruru/pseuds/airute
Summary: There is always something worth fighting for.[Reader/Shouichi Irie]





	1. make a wish in winter (january).

_hey, can i stay a little longer?_  


For Shouichi Irie, everything had a logic explanation in the world. Sure, being related to the mafia sometimes made those explanation a bit farfetched, but there was still sound proof logic behind them. Yet, sitting in front of his computer, he still did not understand how he could not have gotten those Blood + Peppers tickets for their concert in Namimori. He had know of the concert months before anyone else. He stood in line for hours only for the older man in front of him to get the last bundle of tickets. The orange-haired man had even entered the band's contest get free tickets to any on their world concerts, only to place second while winning their compliments and praise. Apparently, a robot didn't win over a man that had named all his children after each band member - much to his wife's displeasure. He would be leaving for college soon and he had wanted to see them live before he left for America. 

"...I could work on that robot project."

He glanced at the unfinished machinery in the corner of his room, something that he had been working on for the last robot tournament he would take place in. There were bits and pieces that still needed to be worked on. It would probably take all night if he stopped thinking about the concert he would be missing out on in a couple of hours. Masami had tried to help getting tickets as well, but it didn't work out. His older sister could only rub his hair in sympathy as she left for a night with her friends, soon followed by his parents who decided to have their weekly date that evening. His parents were still very much in love with each other after so many years. However, his train of thought was soon cut off.

**_BANG BANG!_ **

"Is anyone in there?"

Irie fell out of his chair over the sudden noise, as it continued with a loud girlish voice yelling his family name. He tumbled to get up and ran to the front of the apartment to open the door. A little cramp began to form inside his stomach as he willed himself to open the door to the winter weather outside. Irie had to tip his glasses up slightly to notice a girl a few inches shorter than him dressed in winter wear with boots and thick stockings. Her cheeks were red, but she is more prepared for the freezing weather than him in his pajama pants and B + P shirt. She breathes in deeply before she starts to talk.

"Are you Masami's younger brother?"

"Umm...yes..."

"Will you..."

She hesitates for a bit, looking at him in thought and contemplating. It must be strange asking something from a person you don't completely know. She knows his sister, so she had probably heard of him, but why is she here.The wonder makes the ache hurt a little more within the pits of his stomach, as he latches on to the door. Everything is logical in Irie's mind and all things in this world can be explained rationally. Yet, this is and what is to come because of this girl is something that he will never truly be able to explain, as he faints over her next words.

"...go to the Blood + Peppers concert with me?"

**_THUMP!_ **

"H-Hey, are you all right? Wake up!"

**we'll learn that tomorrow is just another word for today.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> catch me on the flip side: [writing tumblr](http://the-canary.tumblr.com/)


	2. school affection (february).

_show your true smile._

The walls were brightly painted with different shades of pinks and reds with the occasional splash of white here and there. The male students were looking nervously at the girls handing out chocolates to either friends or secret crushes. The girls giggled and smiles to themselves, however, when student was out of this entire loop. Shouichi Irie was inside the robotics club finishing his latest project for the upcoming robot tournament. He ignored the laughter from the outside for the mathematics on his computer and the sounds made from different metallic tools. He sighed as he got up from the floor, before staring at the blossoming cherry blossoms outside. It still amazed the orange-haired teenager that he would soon graduate and head to American for college; it had come all to quickly. He could still remember being a fifteen year-old kid that had stepped into the mafia world by accident because of a kid wearing a cow costume. He could laugh at it now, but a knock at the door made him turn around.

"Irie-senpai..."

"Yes, w-what is i-it?"

"...have you eaten yet?"

A head pops up from the other-side of the door with a bright smile that causes the older teenager to blush. Ever since the Blood + Peppers concrete, you had made it your mission to become friends with your upperclassmen. However, it was by coincidence that you learned that you went to the same school; it involved a broken bike and some minor injuries. Yet, you were happy to get to know him better, especially from the things you heard from Masami whenever she went to you mother's salon with her friends. Green eyes stared at you, as his stomach began to growl and you laughed at the blush darkening on his face. You entered the small classroom with a transparent bag filled with two hand-decorated bento boxes. Irie's eyes widened at the sight, as you laugh.  
"...especially made for the future engineer."

"T-Tha-nk y-ou!"

"You're welcome."

You smile and pull up a chair beside his place on the floor, soon handing him a bento in clear wrapping. He gives you a timid smile, as you unwrap your own meal. However, he blinks at the sight of the robot design made into of the rice with the rest of the food. A small heart was placed in the corner of the box with his last name in it. He wonders how long it took you to make this for him, but what gets him more emotional is that nobody had ever done something like this before him, excluding his mother. He looks up to stare at your bright smile, as you pull your chopsticks apart. You grin at the reddening older man, but your voice is sincere with something hidden in it that he can't quite catch.

"Irie..."

"Y-Yes?"

"...thank you for being my friend."

**i�ll whisper a wish to the sky full of shooting stars.**


	3. cherry blossom dreams (march).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've never been to a japanese graduation, this is from someone else's experience. sorry if i got it wrong.  
>   
> [merger's sponge](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Menger-Schwamm-farbig.png) has infinite space, but zero volume.

mignonette   
_i'm not afraid of it ending._

The third years stand up and bow one more time, as the class president's speech ends. All the underclassmen clap and cheer over each name called by the principal. Shouichi Irie waited for his name to be called, as the ones before him slowly left the auditorium. Each wearing a proud smile, as they exited to be met with grinning and crying parents, his mother had certainly done so before he had even left for school in the morning. Everyone would be going into his or her own directions by the end of the day, either entering more school or the work force. As his name was being called, he stood up proudly and walked to the podium. Everyone in the large room clapped, but only a certain person yelled loudly.

"Go, Irie-senpai!"

"Be quiet or you'll get the teacher in trouble."

"Oh...ok."

Irie gained a huge blush on his face, as a familiar figure in the background waved before being forced to sit down by her fellow classmates. The principal gave a hearty laugh before giving him his diploma. The redhead bowed one last time before entering the flood of people waiting outside. His parents and Masami were waiting within the sea of people with smiles on their face. His older sibling grabbed him around his neck in a familiar hug before ruffling his hair. His parents gave him bouts of congratulations, while more graduating students came out to meet their families. Soon, only the first and second years would be left and officially mark their entry into the next grade level. However, the family of four was more interested in leaving the courtyard and celebrating at one of their favorite restaurants for the rest of the late afternoon. However, in the flurry of falling cherry blossom leaves someone called out his name in the way you only knew how. All four of them stopped, to see you stopping in front of the taller teenager. Masami looked on with a smile on her face, as his parents looked on in curiosity.

"UUmmm...what is it?"

"I wanted to give you this before you left."

"Oh...thank you."

You smile and hand him a small green wrapped box. There is an excited glint in your eyes, as Masami encourages him to open it. So, Shouichi does wondering what girls like you would actual think of giving to guys like him because you certainly don�t think of him that way, do you? No, he's your senpai, and you're just his energetic underclassman. Thus, he opens the box to his surprise, as his eyes widen and your smile turns into a cat-like grin.

"A Merger's Sponge!"

"You like that type of mathematical stuff, right?"

"Yes, t-thank y-you."

"I hope you take care of such a magical sponge!"

**i don't want to wake up to find out that this was only a dream.**


	4. springtime showers (april).

_it makes me happy seeing you smile close to me._

"A-Achoo!"  


Shouichi Irie pulled his sweater tighter around his body, as the rain fell harder by the minute. The groceries his mother had made him get where sitting under the market's large shade. However, the little bench was too small to hold of all his body under the shade. His body shivered from the wind reaching the coldness of his calves and slowly spreading to the rest of his body. He had left to get the ingredients to dinner when the sun was still covered by the heavy gray clouds, but by the time he had everything the sun had disappeared and let a heavy shower in its wake. The store was closed for the rest of the day after that, and there was no way of getting home without getting completely soaked to the bone -- not that he wasn't getting there already. He tried to think of different things, but his mind kept listing all the different bacteria and viruses that could get him sick in this type of weather. 

"Irie-senpai...?"

"W-What!?"

The redhead's fogged up glasses to look up at your figure underneath a clear polka-dotted umbrella. You were wearing a think raincoat with boots to match, which was so much more that his jeans and green B+P jacket. You give him a little smile, while handing him a handkerchief. Irie took the gesture and took the tissue in order to clean his glasses without damaging them like they would be if he were to clean them with the sleeve of his jacket. However, he still wondered why you of all people were here. Wide green eyes look up at your direction, as he takes notice that you were standing right above where his feet were previously getting wet by the rain. Now, you're looking at the rain with a serious look slowly replacing the smile you had given him. He slowly prepares himself to ask the reason why you're here -with a cramp slowly building- as you stay uncharacteristically silent.

"...how did you find me?"

"I went to your house, and Masami said you were gone..."

"..."

"She told me you had been gone for a long time, and I decided to look for you."

You look at him from the corner of your eye, as he puts his glasses back on. He stands up and picks up his groceries. He stands up to his full length and you have to make sure that the umbrella could fit his taller stature. The streets are growing wet with the large bodies of water, but empty with life besides the two of you. The both of you walk to the direction of his home, as the older teenager shivers with the wind blowing through the bare streets. A sneeze came heavily from Irie and shaking his body more that before. This made you stop and looks up at him before taking off your large raincoat and putting it on him with some difficulty. Shouichi wanted to protest; however you had already pulled up the hood of your second thicker sweater and began walking into the direction of his home again. Nevertheless, not before grabbing him by his arm to walk in stride with you, as serious look overtook your face, but there was a light gleam in your eyes that made thick blush grow onto his face.

"...You better not get sick, Irie-senpai."

"I-I won- ** _ACHOO!_** "

**i can still change myself, i'll change.**


	5. golden sunshine (may).

mignonette   
_slowly, my thoughts turn to your image._

Shouichi Irie slowly looked at the sun from the window of his room, unlike most Golden holidays he was still inside working. Masami was with her friends, and his parents had gone off for the week on a romantic getaway. It was understandable since neither he nor his older sister were children anymore, so there was no need for them to seek them out as much anymore. However, he was still happy from earlier in the week when his parents had given him some new work gear for his machinery. To them, he was still their child and them his parents, who along with his elder sister and the numerous people he had meet through Lambo he was grateful for. Irie cared for all his friends dearly, but there was a certain person that was becoming more frequent in his life, and he wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"Senpai, are you ready?"

"...A-Almost!"

The yell from the apartment's living room made him hurry a bit more than before, as his stomach gave way to a light cramp. Ever since he had gotten sick from the showers back in April, it seemed you had decided to spend more time with him whenever you weren't busy with club practice or at your mother's salon. It was odd for him at first -never really interacting with a girl before- but you just laughed it off. His parents seemed to easily approve of you and Masami was delighted with the idea. She had even helped with planning today out with you, telling you that he needed to get out. He knew that to you it would just seem like a simple friendly outing, but he knew his sister had other things in mind and that just made a red hot blush scattered through out his face.

"...where are we going today?"

"A children's performance in the park!"

Shouichi came out of his room dressed in his regular B+P shirt and some jeans, only to see you in a knee-length skirt and button up blouse. He suddenly felt under-dressed, but you just smiled and slowly made your way to the entrance of the apartment. Shouichi understood your signal, as he grabbed his keys before meeting up with you. The orange-haired university student opened the door for the both of you. You stepped out outside first and stared at the bright blue sky above you while he closed the front door. A lazy sigh left your body, as green eyes turned to see the sad smile on your face. However, that seemed to change into the same golden smile he always saw when you turned to his direction, grabbing his arm and almost dragging him to the direction of the park.

"Thank you for spending the day with me, Senpai!"

**maybe, you'll never know her real heart.**


	6. club time melody (june).

_this is my life, nobody can live it for me._

"I've seen her around with that upperclassman that graduated."

"Are they dating?"

A pair of second-years turn to your direction before giggling at the thought. However, their attention is quickly turned by a classmate who grabs them by the back of their uniforms, making them turn to the front of the class. You smile lightly at your friend before turning to the music paper in front of you, and placing the flute onto your lips. The music is soft and sweet coming, something expected from the leader of the wind instruments' section of the school band. The thing most people didn't know is that you were very musically-inclined. From a young age, you had been playing the flute as something to keep you busy when your mother was away. It had been your only real love, until now at least. Yet, could you really call it love or just a silly school girl crush, you honestly didn't know the answer to that question at the moment. Maybe, you would get them eventually.

"Nationals start in a month, prepare yourselves!"

"YES!"

"...Dismissed."

You grabbed your instrument and school bag, deciding to head quickly towards the door before anyone bored you. The younger girls could be very annoying in order to get information out of anybody and you didn't really want to deal with that. You waved a farewell to your friend and the conductor before exiting the room for the empty school hallways. You planned on heading home to do homework since summer vacation would be close at hand, so would the Nationals and final exams. You heaved a tired sigh and closed your eyes for a second, only to land on the floor as another body collided with yours. You groaned in momentary pain only to hear a familiar voice rambling in apologies, but looking for his glasses that fell in the collision. You looked at the blushing orange-haired man, as smile grew on your face and you picked up his glasses.

"I-I'm-"

"It's all right, Irie-senpai."

He grabbed in glasses in a panic from your hands, as he looked at you with a bright flush on his face. This made your smile grow a little more. Before he could say anything, you grabbed his hand and your scattered things and bolted to the school's entrance. His longer legs quickly caught onto your pace, but his blush grew more as you passed by the few students left outside. You asked him why he was here, and he tried his best to explain -through his growing stomach cramp- that he was there to help the robotics team. You nod in understanding and go a little faster in your sprint, while existing the school gates and moving quickly past the people on the street. Irie is finally able to ask you, but you quickly stop in the middle of an empty street. This leads him to slam into your smaller frame lightly. He can feel you try to catch your breath and is trying to ignore the small squeeze your hand gives his own. He needs something else to pay attention to before he collapses completely, so he goes on with his question to break the silence.

"W-Why w-were you a-at s-choool?"

"Oh, I play in the school band!"

You let go of his hand with a second thought and proceed to show him your silver flute. You go on about how you started playing up to how you got in the band through an old friend. By the end, Shouichi can see how soft your expression has become when talking about that part of your childhood that it makes that flush scatter onto his face again. You tighten your hold on the instrument and place it near your lips. You look at him one last time before playing a melody he has never heard before, but won't soon forget. However, he wonders why it's him of all people that you keep saying those words to.

"Thank you, Irie-senpai."

**please, don't forget.**


	7. secret invitation (july).

_i always acted grown up, always pretended to be strong._

Shouichi Irie was walking down the busy afternoon streets of Namimori with many bags in his hand. He let out a tired sigh after his meeting with Spanner and Gianni after finding out that they would be working on a new project for Tsunayoshi. However, there was the problem that he would be leaving the country, though Reborn was already looking into Gianni staying in the States as well. However, there was another thing that the blond mechanic felt like talking about, as a certain hitman felt like spilling the beans to everyone that Irie's interest had changed to something besides computers as of recently. It caught everyone's attention as the university student blushed at the thought of you as anything more as a friend. Now, that he thought about, he had seen less and less of you over the past month. Sure, he was aware that you had finals and Nationals coming soon, but it felt more empty without seeing you as often as he was used to these past months.

"Don't think that way, Shouichi!"

A bright blush scattered onto his face at the thought of it, as he headed up the stairs to his parents' apartment. He fiddled with the bags filled with different electronic devices to get the keys from his jean pockets. However, before he got to the top of the stairs, he noticed the sound of steps going down from the other side of apartment building. Green eyes glanced down to notice a feminine body running towards the entrance of the complex. However, for some reason he could imagine that it was you who was running away with your bag and instrument case and a teasing smile on your lips. He shook himself out of his daydream and headed to the front door, only to notice a letter with his name clumsily written on the front. Green eyes blinks at the sight of the letter, while he hurriedly opens the door and takes the letter into his free hand. Irie kicks the door close, as he juggles everything into his room. His heartbeat is going into overdrive and his stomach is quickly cramping at the thought of you again.

"What is this?"

He puts the bags down gently before opening the letter with trembling hands. There are two things inside the envelope, a letter and a ticket. He looks at the folded piece of paper thinking of a million things that could be written on it, but it seems his mind keeps going back to one thing. Is it a love confession? His face overheats at the sudden thought, as he falls down onto his bed. Irie reads the letter word by word, and over again to understand what this person had written to him. It's sweet and caring, making his heart beat like a humming bird. It's not exactly what he was hoping for, but maybe it was better that way. A small smile appears on his face, as he hears his sister call his name. The last words of the letter on his mind and the ticket sitting on his bedside waiting for the day he could put it into good use.

_Irie-senpai, I would love it if..._

"So, I guess I am going to Nationals then."

_"You came to see me play!"_

**can you hear my heart calling out to you?**


	8. instrumental blues (august).

__

_how many nights have i spent in growing anxiety?_

"I heard her parents are never at any of the recitals."

"...how lonely is she?"

Shouichi Irie wonder sometimes if there is some type of curse of bad luck against him. Sure, there are some good parts of his life: his parents, Masami, and even meeting you in recent months. However, there are still the bad things that he thinks about when laying in his bed at night, joining the mafia by accident might have been one. Yet, the other one seemed how closed he was getting to you over the months that you had meet, was it normal to fall this fast for a person? It shouldn't be normal, it was almost irrational and that was something that Shouichi Irie was not suppose to be. However, under the summer rain hitting hard against his umbrella, he had other problems to deal with - like getting to the music recital on time. His glasses were getting fogged up making him unable to see where he was going in the cold and wet Namimori streets. He was wondering how long he was walking around aimlessly like this until he saw a teenager wearing a familiar uniform.

"E-Excuse me, is this the musical reci-tals?"

"Yeah, but it's almost over."

Irie runs through the walkways, drenching and cold as he can hear the music coming from the large auditorium. The violins are hitting their crescendo, as the brass instruments follow them them faithfully into the melody. The orange-haired mechanic tries to enter the room, but from what he can see all the seats are full and you're anywhere on the stage. So, is this another school band? Is it the final one and he had missed you completely? He sits in the aisle, as the music dies down to a slow and painful melody. Irie just stands there and waits for the music to end, clapping with everyone else. There is a moment of silence before what seems to be the announcer comes onto the stage. Everyone, including yourself and Irie, are watching him as he announces the winners - the six schools that will go to the next round. Yet, with adrenaline rushing through your veins, the name of your school never comes and your heart deflates painfully in its hope, just like when you were on stage and didn't see your parents nor Irie. All the younger students are moaning, while some are your classmates are crying on failing during their finals year. Yet, you're stone cold through the entire ordeal. You just want to go to the big empty house that you grew up in a cry your eyes out; it was a habit at this point.

"Ok, everyone please calm down!"

The instructor tries to calm down the greet before congratulating the winning teams and then returning to school or leaving with one's parents. Everyone will wave goodbye to each other and you will go walking home alone, carrying your flute. The rain outside seems lighter than before, as all the students head outside through a side entrance. Irie looks for you in the outgoing crowd, but never sees you. Instead, you walk without noticing him into the cold Namimori streets wearing a raincoat two sizes too big and a heart that seems to be drowning in heaviness.

"Do you know where she went?"

"...I think she went home by herself already."

**my heart is still closed.**


	9. a long goodbye (september).

_can you tell me the reasons why?_

"Aren't you going to see your friend off today?"

That is the last thing you mother says before going to the door in the early morning for another day at the salon. You watch her disappear from the door and into her small car for another day of work, as you wrap the large blanket around your body and snuggle into the couch. You hadn't been feeling well in the last two weeks of August, probably due to walking back home in the rain. You had been hiding it well until you collapsed after practice, now you were stuck at home. Your mother took you to the doctor, but besides that you were on your own with an occasional call from your father late at night from his business trip around Europe. In all honesty, you did want to go say goodbye to Shouichi, but there was just no way you could make it. Maybe, it was better that since you didn't know what you would do if you saw him after the failure of the nationals, but you were used to disappoint from the people that should have cared the most for you. Why would the the adorable redhead be any different?

"I have to stop thinking of him in that way..."

Yet, your heart was a traitorous little thing when it came to the thought of Irie. It would inflate with false hope, only to implode at the sight of disillusion at the obstacles placed in front of you. It often seemed that he didn't think of you the same way. You have planned to tell him everything after the recital, however that plan ended a failure with you hiding every time he tried to look for you. Surely, you were afraid that in seeing him again everything -words and tears- would spill from your mouth like a waterfall and the last thing you wanted was to put him in an unpleasant situation. No, that was the last thing you wanted, so you hid like a criminal hiding from the police with Masami not so willing to give as her younger brother was. She heard that you were ill, but that was surely wasn't the excuse for ignoring her calls right away, especially when she knew how much you cared about Shouichi. So, an hour after your mother left and were soundly sleeping on the couch with the blanket tightly around you, she banged on your door like a crazed woman.

"You have five seconds or I open the door myself!"

"...Ma-sa..mi?"

"1...2...3..."

The older woman can hear you running to the door as fast as you can, Masami smiles at this and before she can get to five the door opens. Your face is flushed, as the older Irie sibling doesn't give to time to speak and drags you from your home and into her car. The front door closes with a large bang and you're stammering like an idiot, as she pushes you into the passenger's seat and you can't really fight back in your weakened and dizzy state. You're quite and nauseous at her high speed driving to reach the airport. You know where she is taking you and to who, but you don't have the will to fight and just cuddle closer to the blanket wrapped around you. A bright red blush on your face, as she arrives there in almost ten minutes flat. His parents are waving goodbye, as the young mechanic enters the airport to wait for his flight. However, that is until he hears the screaming of his sister and a smaller body collides into his own. Irie Shouichi freezes up at the weak voice whisper apologies and wrapping their hands around his lanky waist. His heart accelerates to an irrational speed, as some of the people around them are staring at the spectacle, because surely he has fallen into some illogical spell because of you - not that he minds it.

"Please stay safe, Shou..."

"I will."

"...Promise?"

**i'm slowly falling for you.**


	10. electronic dance (october).

_i don't want to be selfish, but i miss you._

Shouichi Irie is in his dream university for a month and can say that the cultural shock is something that he needs some time to adjust to. However, besides that, everything else is what he always wanted with spending hours learning mathematics and engineering when he is not taking general requirements. He spends hours in the large library and most of the workers -faculty and students alike- already know who he is. Irie is on top of everything for all his classes, even though there are still moments in class or the outside where his English can use some more improving, but he is there to learn and get better. He was even surprised to make a friend so quickly within the country that he is calling his temporary home, since he isn't one to have an active social life. Nevertheless, he likes spending with the white-haired Italian and creating whatever can come to his mind. The possibilities are endless, just like with the current game that him and Byakuran were creating from whatever came to mind, like their game called "Choice". It may have be in the beginning stages of creation, but the redhead had an inkling that it would be much more important later on.

"I think it would be best if we take a break now, Shou-chan."

"...Sure."

The white-haired college student smiles and laughs before getting up from his chair and going to get more of those marshmallow treats that Irie always sees him eating. The redhead sighs and runs his hand through his hair lightly because there are moments like this when he wonders what you're doing back in Japan. Masami had told on the phone during his first days in school that he owed her for driving you to the airport so quickly before his plane left. However, he wondered if you got traumatized or some minor injuries from how reckless his older sibling could drive, especially when in a hurry - he had suffered from it a hundred times before. Yet, the most important thing that he wanted to do was clear the air from the recital two months previous, but Irie felt that was something he needed to do in person, in order to set everything straight, that is if he still had a chance with you once he went home for the holidays. So many things could change within a couple of months and it worried him even more, since he had no way of contacting from the other side of the world. His stomach made him lurch forward at the thought of actually confessing to you one of these days, but more at the thought of losing you before he even got the chance to. He groaned at the thought until he blinked at the sight a new email popping into his inbox from an address that he did not know of. It could be spam or something else, as he clicked on the mail icon and his face turned a bright red.

_Irie-senpai,_

_I hope you are doing well! Um...if you ever want to talk, email me back._

_Good luck!_

Green eyes scanned the small looped writing, as his heart began to beat in his ears. He wondered where you had gotten his email address, but was simply elated at whatever his older sister did to get you yo write to him. Somehow, this was his chance to get everything back to normal since that awful, rainy day. The small and almost hesitant correspondence did not seem your bright and lively personality that you had shown him over the past couple of months and he wanted to change that. He thought about what he wanted to say, and million thoughts running through his head, eventually he grew nervous at all the over analyzing that he had done in a matter of seconds and crashed into his bed with his laptop on his stomach. The engineering major would think of something to write back by the end of the evening with a hope that things would get back to normal between the both of you soon. However, not before a certain friend of his saw the email and the rather long replay that he was writing back to you.

"Are you writing to your girlfriend back home, Shou-chan~?"

"WHAT!? NO!"

**will i ever get to be with you?**


	11. seeking something more in autumn (november).

_i want to fuss over you, dear._

"Do have anyone you want to get something for?"

You stare at your mother from across the kitchen table with a surprised look, as she gives you a sly smile. You start to wonder what Masami had been telling her on her frequent trips to the hair salon since you have started emailing Shouichi a little over a month ago. It was still odd to talk to him over the computer, but sometimes you felt it was better that face to face because you feared that you would simply spill out your feelings for the redhead. In the end, you were fear that he would reject you because of the pressure you would put of him by confessing and you didn't want that. However, even if he didn't mention anyone in the emails, you were still worried that someone smarter and more talented than you would take him in America, especially since there was still a little tension between the both of you from back in August. You sighed and smashed some of the food on your plate, only to have your mother make a displeased notice that made you look at her again. Though, she was obviously displeased with your sudden table manners, she grew s smile as she watched her daughter go over the stresses of young love - something that you certainly got from your father.

"I still have some shopping to do for your father's surprise. Why not go with me?"

"What for?"

"To get something for your _friend_ , of course.

It's straight after school when she picks you up since you don't have music club twice a week. She smiles and explains what she is planning for your father and you can only admire how much she still loves him after so many years and while he's gone for half of the year. You wished that you something like that one day as well. The Namimori mall wasn't yet decorated with the bright lights that would shinning on all the store entrances by the time that Irie would come home. Yet, you could picture them in your head already, as an idea started to bubble in your mind. Your mother and you go separate ways while planning to meet for a quick bit in the food court in a couple of hours. She is giddy as a school girl when she leaves and you only wish you had that type of enthusiasm because after hours of looking through the mall, you can't find anything that you would want to give the red-haired college student. You sigh hopelessly and sit on a bench not too far from the food court, disappointed that you have come up with nothing. Yet, that is until you heart some some commotion going on in a near-by cart.

"Are you looking to give something hightech to your boyfriend, miss?"

"Wh...at?"

You blush at the small salesman's hook, thinking about actually making Irie your boyfriend by the end of the year. However, you don't know why you walk over to his cart filled with gadgets and different things that all seem to fall under Irie's interest. You walk around the small store for awhile, as the salesman's black eyes watch you for awhile until something in the way back of his inventory watches your attention. You grab it immediately and say that you will buy it, which only makes him smile slightly. The pink-haired woman takes it from you, wraps in shiny green wrapping paper and gives you the total amount. She smiles brightly at your excitement, as you grab the parcel. This beautiful cashier gives you a small nod, but her last comment finally resolute what you plan to do when Shouichi comes back to Japan for his winter break.

"I hope your boyfriend likes, dear."

"...He isn't my boyfriend, yet!"

**i'll show something new and give you a smile.**


	12. winter sweethearts (december).

__

_i just want you to know._

"...what?"

  
You stare that the red-haired student in surprise as the waiter brings your orders. You had messaged him earlier in the week to meet you in a small cafe that his sister often brought you to. The thought of being alone with the college student was a bit apprehensive at first, but he was your friend and you wanted to celebrate his belated birthday during the small amount of time he had in Japan. You wouldn't let silly feelings stop you from at least doing that because in the year that you had come to know the older youth, he had easily found himself as one your favorite people to be around - all of the time, whether as friends or in a relationship did not matter, as long as he was there everything would be all right. However, you never imagined that Shouichi would take such initiative when he began by saying that he was sorry for missing you play back in August. He explained to a nervous stutter and aching stomach ache that he had be impaired to be there in time due the rain, but he had been there of the short ending of the when they announced the winner and that he looked everywhere for you for nearly an hour until someone told him that you had left. He finishes and gives you a questioning glance that you simply return with a smile, but with that it seems to disperse some of the tension that had been between the two of you for the past couple of months.

"It's all right, Shou. I understand."

"R-Really?"

You simply nod and start to eat the cake and hot chocolate that accompanied, while Irie ate his share. There was a strange type of silent between the both of you, as you turn to glance at the small bag next to you that was carrying his gift. You wanted to tell him everything and with a deep breathe and bring out the gift, only to have him look at you with a questioning look. Green eyes stare at you in question, as you push the bag towards him. He smiles at the gift and begins to slowly open it, as you begin to talk. There is a hesitance in your voice, however by the end of your speech, he is stuttering after dropping his drink on his pants.

"I was wondering if you would be my boyfriend."

"W-What?"

"...Yes?"

"O-Of co-urse."

**i want to hold you close.**


End file.
